


Over and Buried With Our Past

by melekinh



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bilbo Dies In Battle of Five Armies, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Fluff, M/M, Older Bofur, Young dwarrows
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-24
Updated: 2013-06-24
Packaged: 2017-12-15 23:46:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/855354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melekinh/pseuds/melekinh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three young dwarrows find an old dwarf with a silly hat at the foot of a grave, and he tells them a story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Over and Buried With Our Past

A small group of three young dwarrows ran excitedly out the front gates of the great kingdom of Erebor, enjoying the beauty spring had unfolded upon the mountain after the harsh winter had receded. Today marked the day spring would truly begin for them, as it was the first of three festival days, which the dwarves of Erebor celebrated every year alongside the men of Dale, and a few elves, on occasion.  


The dwarf children’s mothers would all be at the festival that day, selling their wares in the small market set up on the edge of it. The young dwarves were now old enough to be allowed to play on their own, so long as they stayed in the shadow of the mountain, and made sure to check in with their mothers later. They had agreed to these terms, and eagerly made their way towards a section of the outside of the mountain they had never been to before, to explore. The festival was fun in its own way, but the repetition of it had been starting to bore them, and the novelty had worn off.  


“Burar, over here!” cried the youngest one, a small, plump dwarf girl called Amli. She was Burar’s cousin, and closest friend aside from Theogrim, who was the eldest. He preferred to be called “Theo,” and his family had been good friends with Burar and Amli’s for many years. They had grown up together, and were a very tight-knit group, who preferred the company of each other over everyone else. Theo was the unspoken leader of the group, mostly because of his age. He was thirty-seven, Burar was thirty-five, and Amli was twenty-nine. Her mother had thought she was much too young to be roaming around the foot of the mountain, but once she realized Theo would be accompanying her, her fears were abated. Theo had taken it upon himself to protect both Burar and Amli, but Amli especially. (Although if you asked Burar, he would have said she was fierce enough to hold her own, should she have to.)  


As it was, Amli was currently ahead of both Burar and Theo, who had stopped walking to pick a small flower he'd spotted on ground. Burar followed after Amli, who seemed to be looking at something around the edge of a large stone right at the mountain’s base. “Come on Theo!” he cried, and the older dwarf stood up immediately, tucking whatever it was he had picked up into his pocket, and ran after the two more exuberant dwarrows.  


When Burar and Theo caught up to Amli, they saw what she was pointing to.  


On the other side of the boulder, there sat an older dwarf, who had a very forlorn look about him. On his head there sat a rather silly looking hat with huge ear flaps, with two greying braids sticking out from beneath it, and a long grey-streaked moustache to match. He sat with his back pressed up against the boulder, a pipe at his lips, and an assortment of flowers sitting in a pile next to him.  


The children glanced at each other with looks that clearly asked “Should we approach him?”  


Burar and Theo argued about it for a moment in hushed tones. Theo thought it was too dangerous, and Burar thought they should fetch an adult to come with them. Amli shut them up by swiftly elbowing the both of them in the ribs, making them wince.  


“What was that for?” Burar grumbled, rubbing his side and shooting his cousin an irritated glare.  
She rolled her eyes. “For being an idiot, that’s what it was for. He’s just a harmless old dwarf- and from the looks of that pack he’s got with him, he’s probably been travelling. I don’t know about you two, but it’s been too long since I’ve heard a good story about life on the road- maybe he’ll have some!” And with that, the dwarf girl stalked off towards the wrinkled dwarf, hair blowing behind her.  


Burar and Theo stood there for a moment before following her, Burar grumbling, and Theo smiling after Amli.  
When the three reached the dwarf with the funny hat, they found him with his eyes closed, and body still.  
…  


“Should we wake him up?” Amli asked- and not a moment after, the dwarf opened his eyes and jolted up, his pipe falling from his hand. Burar squeaked in fright and jumped a bit, but righted himself immediately after catching the look Theo shot him.  


The dwarf looked up at them in confusion for a moment, and then smiled warmly at them, sitting up a bit straighter. “Well hello there!” He greeted in a thickly accented voice that sounded like it originated in the Blue Mountains, offering a nod to each of them as a greeting. Amli nodded in return, smiling back at him.  


“Good afternoon, sir.” She said, and introduced herself. She shot Burar and Theo looks that warned them to do the same- unless they wanted another elbow to the ribs. The two did, and bowed slightly to him, trying to retain politeness.  


“My, my, it’s gotten to be afternoon already? I’ve been out here longer than I’d thought!” The older dwarf’s eyes widened slightly, but while there was good humor there, all three of the young dwarrows could see a certain kind of sadness laced in, as well.  


“What are you doing out here?” Amli questioned, rather boldly. “The festival is off near the gates- surely you’d rather be there, sir?” Burar nudged her with his shoulder for her rudeness, and she shuffled on her feet a bit. “… If you don’t mind me asking, that is.”  


The old dwarf chuckled heartily, unoffended by the fiery young dwarf girl. “I don’t mind at all, lass. And my name’s Bofur- enough with this ‘Sir’ business.” Amli grinned at that, and nodded. Bofur’s eyes grew somber again, and he sighed. “I’ll be off to the festival at some point, but I thought I’d come by here and visit a friend o’ mine that I haven’t seen in a long while.”  


Burar and Amli looked around, but to their confusion, saw no one. Realization dawned on Theo, though, for he now recognized this place for what it was. He saw, almost buried beneath the flowers and weeds in front of Bofur, a figure carved out of stone that seemed to have been forgotten by those who ought to have been caring for it. It was small- smaller than a dwarf, and Theo knew the place from what he had learned in his lessons.  


“You were a member of the company of Thorin Oakenshield, weren’t you?”  


Bofur’s shoulders stiffened slightly, but he nodded in confirmation. “Aye, lad. That I was.”  


Burar and Amli looked at Bofur with shock and admiration, and all three of them looked at him with respect. Theo and Bofur looked each other in the eyes for a brief moment before Theo continued.  


“You’re here to visit the grave of Bilbo Baggins- the burglar.”  


Bofur said nothing, but his silence was confirmation enough.  


Many years had passed since that day, but Bofur could still recall everything about it with perfect clarity. It had been the day they had reclaimed Erebor, yes- but it had also been the day he had lost one of his closest friends.  
__

_The days before they departed Laketown to reach Smaug’s lair had been some of the most relaxed the company had had in a very long while. They were all tired and hungry, and after all of the weeks they had spent on the road, the comforts Laketown had to offer were most welcome. Bofur spent most of his time while they were there talking to the hoards of children that had descended upon the dwarves, telling them stories of their adventures while his cousin Bifur made them toys that delighted them to no end._

  


_One day when the children had run off outside to play at being Thorin and co. escaping the goblins, Bilbo approached him for the first time in nearly a week. He was very welcome company, and Bofur pulled up a chair for Bilbo to sit next to him. The hobbit accepted it gratefully, and from his jacket pocket he pulled out a pipe and what was left of the small supply of pipe weed he’d brought with him. He offered some to Bofur, but he declined._  


_The two had become very close over the course of their journey, for Bofur had been one of the first to extend kindness to the hobbit while on the road. They had spent many days on pony back talking about the habits of their families, and various shenanigans they had gotten up to as children. Bilbo knew that when Bombur was a lad he used to sleep with his and Bofur’s parents for fear of goblins snatching him up from his own bed, and Bofur knew all about the woes the Sackville-Bagginses had caused Bilbo over the years. Bilbo and Bofur had saved each other’s skins enough times on the journey to Erebor, and even though they had never said so aloud, the two had become incredibly valued parts of each other's lives.  
_

Amli walked up to Bofur, and sat down on the ground next to him. She put her hand on top of his, and patted it, and Bofur had to smile at the young lass’ attempt to comfort him. “You could tell us about him.” She offered, hand still on his. “When my da went away to Dale on business for a few weeks, I missed him a lot. But my uncle said if I talk about someone when I miss them, it makes them seem a little bit closer. So I talked my cousin’s ears off with stories about my da. It annoyed him, but it helped me, some. If you want, you could talk to us about your friend.”  


Bofur looked down at the innocent face of the small dwarrow girl. Her eyes were wide, and the whiskers on her chin had just started to sprout. He found his heart being warmed by her concern, and even more so when the other two dwarrows boys plopped down to sit beside him as well.  


“Yeah,” said Burar encouragingly, and Theo nodded along with him. “We’d love to hear about him.”  


Bofur smiled, and relit his pipe. After a moment of thought, and a few puffs of smoke, he settled back into a relaxed position. “Alright, yeh little dwarflings, alright.”  


The children’s imaginations were alight with the excitement of hearing the story, but they made sure to remain respectful and not appear too delighted, for they still knew that it was likely a great source of sorrow to Bofur. Said dwarf set his pipe aside, and folded his hands in his lap.  


“I s’pose it’s about time someone heard the tale in all its truth.”  
__

_The entire company had noticed Bilbo acting odd at the beginning of their stay in Laketown, and most hadn’t seen the hobbit since their first night there, when he had been trembling and sniffling from the cold his ride with the barrels had given him. So when Bilbo sat down beside Bofur, the first thing the dwarf asked his friend was if he was healthy._

  
_“That cold’s not still bein’ a bother to you, is it Bilbo?”_  


_Bilbo started slightly, and a disgruntled puff of smoke escaped the hobbit.  
_

_“Of course not- I’ve been fine for days now. Why do you ask?”  
_

_The dwarf looked at his friend skeptically, and shrugged.  
_

_“You’ve just seemed a bit off, is all. I haven’t seen you out an’ about much. We’ve all been worried, ‘specially Thorin. He hasn’t seen you at all since that first night at the Master’s feast.”  
_

__

_Bilbo groaned, and rested his head on the table. “Please tell me he hasn’t been looking for me.”  
_

__

_Bofur nodded grimly. “Oh aye, his majesty’s outside doin’ just that right now, come to think of it. He tried to find you in your rooms at first light, but you weren’t there.”  
_

__

_Bilbo let out another long, drawn out groan and set his pipe down so that he could bring his hands to his temples.  
_

__

_“Bofur, I did a very- no, incredibly, stupid thing. I don’t think Thorin is very happy with me right now.”  
_

__

_Bofur had straightened at that, wondering what the hobbit could have possibly done to anger the king again.  
_

__

_“What’d you do, Bilbo?” he inquired, feeling suddenly quite protective for his friend. “I won’t let any harm come to you from him, if that’s what you’re fearing.”  
_

__

_Bilbo shook his head, and clasped his hands together. “No, I don’t think I’ve angered him that much, I just… I made a mistake.”  
_

__

_Bofur rolled his eyes in exasperation. “What exactly was the mistake, Bilbo?”  
_

__

_Bilbo muttered something, but it was rather indiscernible._

__

__

_“What was that now? You’re practically whisperin’, I couldn’t hear a thing!” Bofur made a show of lifting the ear flaps of his hat, as if trying to hear Bilbo better, and the hobbit laughed. He cleared his throat, but still looked down slightly when he answered his friend.  
_

__

_“I- I kissed Thorin.”  
_

_Bilbo’s eyes were closed, so when Bofur let out what could only be described as a guffaw, he was quite surprised. He opened his eyes to see a look of pure mirth on his friend’s face. The dwarf wiped a tear of amusement from his eyes and looked at the hobbit.  
_

_“That’s what this is about? That’s great news, Bilbo! When did it happen?”  
_

_Bilbo shifted uncomfortably, but his nerves were a bit settled by Bofur’s laughter. Surely if he had done something awful, Bofur would not have laughed.  
_

_“It happened just after I got him out of his barrel- I got him out first, you see. And I was just so relieved that he was alright that I-“ Bilbo trailed off and put his head in his hands. “Do you think he’s terribly angry with me? Fili popped out of his barrel whining about apples right after, and I haven’t spoken to him since. The one time I met his eyes, the look I got was hardly welcoming.”  
_

_Bofur leaned forward and clasped Bilbo on the shoulder in reassurance. “Bilbo, have you really not seen it? The king’s been pinin’ after you ever since you saved his sorry arse from Azog. It’s no wonder he’s been looking for you. Mahal knows he's probably over the moon for you after getting us outta Mirkwood.”  
_

_The dwarf got off of his chair, and helped Bilbo out of his. “Do you truly think so, Bofur?” Bilbo asked tentatively. Bofur gave him a wide grin and a hearty pat on the back.  
_

_“O’ course I am. The entire company’s had bets settled on when you two would get together for weeks. And if you hurry up and go find him, I’ll be raking in some winnings.”  
_

_Bilbo gave Bofur a slightly scandalized look, but was having trouble holding in a smile. “Well. Alright. I suppose I’ll stop hiding from him, then.” He gave Bofur an appreciative look, to which Bofur’s only reply was a cheeky grin. The hobbit exited the room in search of the king, and although he still had a nervous air about him, he was decidedly less worried about what would befall him should he encounter Thorin Oakenshield.  
_

_Later that night, when Bofur spotted Bilbo and Thorin at the base of the staircase leading to Thorin’s room, standing far too close to each other for friendly conversation, their hands entwined, he made sure to quickly tell the others- and to collect the money they owed him.  
_

Burar’s eyes widened at this point in the story. “King Thorin and the hobbit were in love?” He asked incredulously, shocked by the revelation. Amli and Theo looked equally shocked as well.  


“Aye, they were.” Bofur confirmed, an old sadness arising in him once more. “In fact, I would go so far as to say that Bilbo was Thorin’s One.”  


Amli’s hand went to her heart at this revelation, and she realized that this tale would not only contain action and battle, but a tragic romance. Theo simply grew stiffer as he realized the true sorrow of where the story was headed.  


Perhaps there was a reason this was not the version of the tale he heard in his lessons.  
__

_Before Bilbo entered the doorway to the tunnel that would lead him to Smaug’s lair, Thorin pulled Bilbo into a short, but tender kiss, and the intimacy of it made many members of the company look away. Bofur looked on and smiled, although to him it was bittersweet. He was worried for his friends, Bilbo especially, and he wondered what they would do if anything bad were to happen to their burglar. Bofur had begun to see long ago that while Thorin was the soul of their company, Bilbo was the heart. And though Bofur had seen many things, he had yet to come across a being that could function without its heart._

  


_“I know you've already proved you can handle this, but please, try to stay safe, my burglar.” Thorin’s hands twined in Bilbo’s hair as they parted, and his fingers rested for a moment on the courting bead he had braided into it the night before. Bilbo leaned into the touch, his eyes never leaving Thorin’s.  
_

_“Don't worry, I'll be fine. I've made it through trolls, orcs, wargs, goblins, and spiders. What's a dragon, after all that?" He sounded confident, but to Thorin it looked like he was trying to convince Thorin as much as himself. The hobbit clasped Thorin's hand tightly for a moment, sighed, and pulled away and darted down the tunnel in the blink of an eye.  
_

_Kili approached Thorin, and rested his hand on his shoulder. “He will be safe Uncle. You’ll see. Bilbo always pulls through, in the end.”  
_

_Thorin nodded, but his concern was obviously unabated. He moved away from Kili, and sat close to the edge of the tunnel to wait.  
_

“What happened after that?!” Burar cried, enthralled with the events being described. Theo and Amli both hushed him, and he hung his head low guiltily. Bofur ruffled the lad’s hair affectionately, and answered him.  


“Our dear burglar infiltrated the dragon’s den- not once, but twice! And he worked Smaug up into a right tizzy with all his taunting, he did.”  


Theo gaped, surprise etched all over his face. “The _hobbit,_ taunted _Smaug?_ ”  


Bofur chuckled. “It’s the truth lad, I swear! He was a bit singed in some places, but he managed it just fine.”  


“What happened then?” Amli prompted, and Bofur heaved a great sigh.  


“You all ought to know most of this next part. After Smaug was dealt with by Bard, there came the business with the Arkenstone.”

All three children shuddered at the thought of the horrid stone. It had once been thought to be the heart of the mountain, but the madness it brought upon the kings of Erebor caused many dwarves to curse the day it had been found, for truly, it had been their downfall.  


“Bilbo took it.” Theo said, stating what he knew of the story. “And Thorin cast him out.”  


Bofur’s eyes stared off into the distance as he recalled that horrible day, when the madness inside Thorin had hit its peak, and everything began to fall apart.  
__

_“Take him, if you wish him to live; and no friendship of mine goes with him.”_

  


_Bofur looked on in horror as Thorin watched Bilbo descend the wall and walk sorrowfully into Bard and Thranduil’s camp, without any hint of remorse at seeing the hobbit go.  
_

_Bofur, too, had been affected by the gold lust, but he had been shaken from it as soon as he had seen Thorin getting ready to thrust Bilbo over the wall. He, Fili, Kili, and Ori had all cried out in worry for Bilbo, and had tried to go to his aid, but the rest of the company held them back. (Although it seemed none of them wanted to.)  
_

_And now, as Bilbo made his departure, Bofur and the younger members of the company saw the madness within Thorin for what it was, and they were afraid. They were afraid of what the king might do, but they mostly feared for him as friends fear for one another when they are ill.  
_

_They all wondered, “What will Thorin do when he wakes from his departure from sanity and realizes what he has done?” and even worse, “What if he never wakes?”  
_

Amli crossed her arms at this point, a decisive frown upon her face. “My mum would give me a good clout on the ear if she heard me say this, but King Thorin sounds like a dallophead.”  


Bofur let out a surprised laugh, and wondered what the king would have thought of being called a dallophead. “Y’know, lass, I think I’d have to agree with you.”  


Theo shifted uncomfortably, a look of discontent upon his face. “How on earth could Thorin have treated Bilbo that way, if he loved him? How could he threaten the life of his One? If it were me, I would have done everything I could have to protect he- _him_.” Theo shot Amli a look that the dwarf girl missed, and realization came to Bofur then. He couldn’t help but smile, although it was more of an effort now that they were drawing nearer to the end of the tale.  


“You can’t blame Thorin too harshly for his wrongs, my lad. He was not in his right mind at the time. Even I didn’t fully realize something was wrong until Thorin held dear Bilbo over the wall.” He repositioned himself so that his back rested a bit more comfortably against the boulder, and continued. “Every dwarf feels the call of gold, and it isn’t always a bad thing, mind you. But when the company saw the treasures of Erebor, all splayed out in front of us after years resting beneath Smaug's belly… well, I think we all went a little mad. Thorin had it worse though. The gold-sickness ran through his veins, and it reared its head as soon as it got the first taste of treasure.”  


Theo’s frown didn’t lessen and Bofur patted him on the shoulder. “I think that if Thorin hadn’t fallen to the gold sickness, he never would have done or said those things to Bilbo. He loved him with all his heart, truly.”  


For a moment, Theo’s frown faltered, and he relented, which Bofur was glad for. He had resented Thorin for many years because of his wrongdoings against Bilbo, but that was in the past, and he did not want Theo to hate Thorin, for that was not the point of him telling this tale.  


Theo had to have the last word though.  


“If it means losing myself to the call of the gold, I won’t ever go _near_ the treasury. I’ll never allow there to even be the smallest chance of me coming to value gold over my One.” Theo finished this declaration breathlessly, and shot Amli a determined look when he was done. The young dwarf’s breath hitched in her throat, and she froze a bit as her brows shot up on her forehead in surprise, and her expression finally settled on something much softer. Burar watched in confusion as his younger cousin gave Theo a decidedly odd look, and urged Bofur to continue.  


The old dwarf began weaving his story of the past once more, and it was only when Burar realized that Theo was blushing that he connected the dots.  
__

_Bofur fought his way through the battle, his war cries lost in the cacophony of sounds that surrounded him. As soon as he was done with one foe, two more would emerge and take its place. It was as though the stream of wargs, orcs, and goblins was endless, ready to strike him down the moment they got the chance. He was quite breathless, but did not dare to stop fighting for fear of meeting his end._

  


_To his left, he saw his brother Bombur making short work of many foul creatures with his shortsword, inspiring Bofur to keep going every time he looked over.  
_

_To his right, he saw Gloin, striking down numerous goblins with every swing of his ax, his bright red hair forming a mane that acted to further intimidate any oncoming foes.  
_

_He did not look behind him, but he knew that that was where the three Durins were fighting. He heard the cries they shouted in Khuzdul at their enemies, and knew that they were doing fine.  
_

_At the edge of his mind, though, there was the biting question that had been chipping away at his mind since the battle has begun.  
_

_What had become of Bilbo?  
_

_Bofur had been scanning the battlefield for a long while, but had seen no sign of the burglar anywhere.  
_

_A prickly feeling began to grow in the dwarf’s stomach, and he feared for his friend.  
_

_As the battle wore on, Bofur found himself unknowingly edging closer to the Durins, who continued to relentlessly cut down their enemies. Over time, Bofur noticed that Fili and Kili were starting to tire, and a new fire in him rose that drove him to stay close to the two, and give his damnedest to make sure they stayed alive.  
_

_But as he kept himself distracted with the two princes, he neglected to notice what was unfolding behind him.  
_

_Thorin Oakenshield stood on the opposite side of his nephews and Bofur, locked in a fierce battle with his sworn enemy, Azog, the Defiler.  
_

_The fight had been going on for no longer than a minute or two, but Thorin could feel his enemy weakening. Azog’s anger and desire for retribution was robbing him of whatever sense he possibly could have possessed, and he kept on slashing at Thorin in a blind rage. Thorin avoided many of these blows with relative ease, but when he moved to dodge one, he found himself losing his footing, and almost falling.  
_

_Just then, an unseen force pushed him up before he could fall completely, and Thorin’s sword took the brunt of one of Azog’s blows. The pale orc let out a terribly cry and slashed at him once more.  
_

_Thorin maneuvered his sword just on time to stop Azog’s attack- by cutting off his other arm._  


_The creature let out a horrible sound of pain, and sunk to his knees, gazing in horrified wonder at his severed hand. Thorin was struck by the familiarity of the picture, but this time, he did not hesitate to finish what he had started.  
_

_With one final blow, Thorin sliced at Azog, and brought his blade down to his side.  
_

_The pale orc’s head went tumbling off of his shoulders, and for one brief moment, Thorin felt one of the strongest waves of relief he had ever felt wash over him. It was done.  
_

_But what had stopped him from falling, he wondered?  
_

_No.  
_

_It couldn’t be.  
_

_“Thorin, look out!”  
_

_Thorin was pulled out of his thoughts by a very familiar voice, and his heart clenched in fear. Bilbo should not be here- not in the middle of an awful battle such as this!  
_

_Although Thorin did not see Bilbo, his voice was enough to warn him of the blow coming his way. Thorin lifted his shield up to his right, where it was met by the blade of Bolg, son of Azog. Thorin’s footing faltered once more, and he entered a battle with a new foe, who was much more cunning than his father, and quicker too.  
_

_Thorin could feel it when he knew he growing too tired to continue on- but Bolg never seemed to falter in his quest to kill Thorin Oakenshield, and avenge his father. Thorin looked around him and despaired. Many dwarves, men, and elves alike were being struck down by the seemingly endless waves of goblins, orcs, and wargs. Thorin wondered what had become of Bilbo, and cursed himself for his foolishness. He thought it was unlikely he would ever get to see the hobbit again, and properly apologize to him and thank him for saving his life once more.  
_

_As he thought this, Bolg finally managed to knock Thorin over, and the dwarf king went tumbling to the ground.  
_

_It was then that Bofur turned around, after spending most of the battle protecting Fili and Kili.  
_

_What he saw would haunt him for the rest of his days.  
_

“What did you see?” Burar whispered quietly, enthralled, although he knew how the story ended.  


Theo and Amli were also staring at Bofur with rapt attention, awful feelings in the pits of their stomachs, because they, too, knew how it would end.  


Bofur, opened his mouth to continue, but he faltered, and he felt a wetness beginning to cloud his vision. For all the years it had been since he had experienced it, the pain of seeing what he had seen had never dulled. He suspected it never would. After a few moments of collecting himself, Bofur cleared his throat, and continued.  


_Bolg stood above Thorin, his blade raised to behead the king. Bofur felt a terror deep in his bones rise to the surface, but he knew he could not reach his king on time to save him.  
_

_Just before Bolg swung back his arm to deliver the killing blow, Bilbo Baggins appeared, _right out of thin air._ He tucked something into his waistcoat pocket, and drew up his tiny glowing blue sword in defense against Bolg.  
_

_“I won’t let you hurt him!” Bilbo cried, his sword gleaming. Bofur stood transfixed by what he was seeing, and for a moment, caught the glint of the courting bead still braided into Bilbo’s hair, in the light.  
_

_Bolg laughed, and said something in the black speech that didn’t sound very impressed.  
_

_His blade met Bilbo’s, and the hobbit struggled against the force of it, managing to push the orc briefly away as Thorin began to get to his feet.  
_

_Bilbo slashed with all his might at Bolg, and he delivered a good blow to the creature’s chest. Bolg doubled over, clutching the wound in pain.  
_

_Thorin was now nearly to his feet, and he looked at the hobbit with a mixture of emotions. “Bilbo.” He said, simply, and the hobbit turned around, and saw that his dwarf was unhurt.  
_

_“Thorin!” He cried, relief flashing upon his face for a brief moment.  
_

_And just then, Bolg ran him through with one swift thrust of his blade.  
_

_Everything seemed to go quiet for a moment then- like the entire battle had decided to hold their breath at the same time, in shock at what had just happened.  
_

_Then, the entire valley knew Thorin’s sorrow by the roar of rage and grief that escaped him.  
_

_“Bilbo! No!” Thorin’s eyes were wild, and Bilbo looked down at his middle, which was now blossoming red as a rose, staining his waistcoat the same color as his jacket.  
_

_Bolg retracted his blade from Bilbo’s torso, and the hobbit crumpled to the ground, a look of surprise etched on his face.  
_

_Bofur stared in disbelief at what had unfolded before him, not wanting to accept that it had happened.  
_

_After a moment, both Thorin and Bofur threw themselves into the battle with new vigor- one broken at the loss of his One, and the other enraged by the loss of one of the truest friends he'd ever known  
_

_Bofur let no harm come to Fili and Kili, and the fact that the two survived the battle would offer some solace to the dwarf as time passed.  
_

_Thorin did end up killing Bolg for what he had done to Bilbo, but he too had suffered many grievous wounds, and by the time Beorn and the eagles arrived, Thorin too had fallen, and lay dying on the field of battle, clutching Bilbo close to him as they shared their final moments.  
_

_Much of the color had drained from Bilbo as his life’s blood seeped out of him, and he found himself barely able to breathe. His head was protected by a curtain of dark hair, and above him, the face of the dwarf who owned it looked down upon him. Bilbo smiled weakly, for there was his dwarf- the one he had fought so bravely to protect.  
_

_Only, there were tears in his eyes. Why was that, Bilbo wondered?  
_

_And then the pain truly hit him, and he gasped at the force of it. Thorin’s eyes burned, and his hands lifted Bilbo’s head so that he could gently plant a kiss into his One’s hair.  
_

_“I’m so sorry, ghivashel.” Thorin whispered to Bilbo, tracing the line of one of the hobbit’s pointed ears. Tears dripped down his nose, and fell onto Bilbo’s face. Bilbo looked at him in confusion.  
_

_“Shouldn't I be the one apologizing? I could have handled that whole Arkensone debacle a lot better.”  
_

_Thorin barked a broken, humorless laugh. “No.” he said, and he felt a pain worse than he ever had before, in the very center of his heart. “There is more in you of good than you know, amrâlimê. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” More tears fell, and Thorin cursed himself for his stupidity. “I take back everything I said before, Bilbo. Know that I love you still, and to part from you without you knowing I forgive you would cause me more pain than the fall of Erebor. I- I won’t ask for your forgiveness as well, for I do not deserve it.”  
_

_Bilbo coughed, and used all of his strength to place his hand on Thorin’s face, and wipe away the tears that laid there. “You may not ask for it, but you have it.” He smiled, though it pained him, and looked Thorin in the eye. “And I will always love you, you silly dwarf.”  
_

_And with that, Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit who'd been brave enough to venture out into the world beyond The Shire, drew his final breath, and was no more.  
_

_Thorin's anguish was all-encompassing, and he held Bilbo's body close to him, clinging to him like a lifeline. That was how Beorn found the two of them, wrapped in each other’s embrace for the last time. Bilbo was dead, and Thorin was dying. The shapeshifter could see that the dwarf king had mere minutes left, and would undoubtedly succumb to his wounds. He carried both of them back to the camp where the others were with a heavy heart.  
_

_Bofur looked on as all of this unfolded, and he did not hide his pain. He sat there for hours after the battle was done, and cried. He cried for the loss of his friends, who had fought so hard and deserved so much more, and for all the rest who had given up their lives that day.  
_

_His brother found him later, and tried to comfort him every way he knew how, but not even his brother's cooking could summon a smile to Bofur's face  
_

_In Thorin’s final moments, he told his sister-sons to bury Bilbo outside of Erebor. As much as the dwarf king wanted to have his love buried with him, he knew his One belonged somewhere where the sun could shine on him.  
_

_Fili and Kili promised their uncle they would, with tears in their eyes, and it was with both of them clutching his hands that Thorin Okenshield departed this life and went to the halls of his ancestors.  
_

_Bilbo had been buried before Thorin, and it had been a small affair. Only the company, Bard, Thranduil, Beorn, and Gandalf had come, and all of them felt as though that was how Bilbo would have wanted it. Gandalf left soon after, to bear the bad news to Bilbo’s family in The Shire. Bofur could have sworn he’d seen the wizard weeping as he made his departure.  
_

_Fili was crowned King of Erebor, and Kili, Balin, and Dwalin served as his advisors, from that day on. They offered him advice when it was needed, and friendship when there was none to be found by other dwarves in court. Fili became known as one of the greatest dwarf kings to ever live, and his reign, to date, had been prosperous.  
_

_Although, Fili had once confided in Bofur that he never truly felt like he deserved the throne, and were he given the choice, he would have given up the entire kingdom to have Thorin and Bilbo alive and happy once more.  
_

At that, Bofur concluded his tale.  


Amli, Burar, and Theo were all in tears.  


Amli and Theo had migrated together, and clutched each other in a tight embrace as they quietly cried together.  


Burar, however, was sobbing rather loudly.  


“I- I never knew any of that about Bilbo.” He hiccupped, and Theo and Amli nodded at this.  


“I’d never thought much of the burglar’s tale.” Theo admitted, wiping furiously at his eyes. “Our teacher’s glossed over that bit in our studies- they simply said that he had fallen in battle.”  


Bofur's blood boiled at this, and decided he’d have to pay the school teachers a visit some time and educate them. The least he could do to honor Bilbo and Thorin’s memories would be to have their stories told properly.  


For now, though, he had crying dwarflings to worry about.  


“Come here, the lot of you.” He said, holding his arms out. The three young dwarrows all fell into Bofur’s embrace, and the old dwarf found himself crying as well.  
This was the first time he had ever told someone, outside of the company, of all he had witnessed that day. And although he was crying, he also felt a strong surge of relief down to his core.  


Perhaps Amli was right. Maybe talking about those he missed was a better way to confront the pain of it than keeping it locked away  


After a few moments of silence, he began to get up, and picked up the bundle of flowers he’d brought with him.  


“I was originally just going to lie these down in a pile right here,” he said, gesturing to the stone carving of Bilbo that stuck out of the grass and served as a cover for his grave. “but I think it would be better if you lot came up with something more creative to do with them.”  


The three got to their feet as well, and they all contemplated Bofur’s proposition for a moment. An idea lit up Amli’s face then, and she asked Bofur, “If they had lived, do you think Bilbo would have been made consort?”  


Bofur felt a deep sadness for a moment then, imagining what his friend might have looked like sitting by Thorin’s side, happy, and newly wed. “Yes, I s’pose he would have been.”  


Amli nodded sagely. “Well, seeing how he never got to wear the consort’s crown, why don’t we make one for him?”  


She gestured to the flowers, and Bofur smiled, his eyes beginning to tear up once more. “I think that’s a great idea, lass.”  


And so it was that for the rest of the afternoon, Bofur and Burar weeded the area around Bilbo’s grave, and polished his carving while Amli and Theo wove a thick crown of flowers. As they worked, Theo took the flower he'd picked earlier from his pocket, and gave it to Amli, who wove it into the crown as well.  


When they were done, the grave looked almost new, and Amli stepped forward and placed the crown of flowers above the head of the carved likeness of the hobbit who had died protecting the kingdom of her people.  


All four dwarrows were silent then, and they dipped their heads in respect for the brave child of the kindly west who had fallen in battle, and for the king who had loved him.  


Soon after, Amli, Theo, and Burar made to leave for the festival so that they could check in with their mothers. They asked Bofur if he wanted to come along, and after one last look at Bilbo’s grave, Bofur nodded, picked up his pack, and followed the children.  


As he walked behind them, and saw the joy in their faces as they ran through the valley chasing after one another, a feeling of contentment rose within Bofur that had not been present for many years.  


Thorin and Bilbo might not be there to see it, but they had won. Erebor was not quite back to its old glory, but it was close, and children like Amli, Theo, and Burar, were now able to call it home. Bofur thought back to another conversation that had been had with talks of homes that had taken place on a journey long ago, and he smiled to himself. Bilbo had promised to do what he could to help the dwarves get back their home, and he was sure that if Bilbo and Thorin were able to see the looks of happiness on these young dwarrow’s faces, it would surely be enough for both of them to know that their sacrifices had not been for nothing. Their friends would endure, for that was all they could do, and all the generations of Erebor to come would have _them_ to thank, for providing them with the best home any dwarf could ever hope to ask for.

**Author's Note:**

> Oh goodness. Writing this was emotionally draining, to say the least. This is the first fanfic I've completed in a very long time, and the first I've even written in The Hobbit fandom, so I apologize if my characterization is off. This is unbeta'd, so any mistakes are my own.  
> The title is a line from the song "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men.  
> Any feedback/critique would be wonderful, and thank you for reading this!


End file.
